Shipping a Car to Las Vegas – All the Information You Need

Known for its vibrant nightlife – including casinos and restaurants – Las Vegas is Nevada’s premier destination for job seekers and retirees. But whether you want to live there permanently or seasonally, it’s good to have personal transportation in the city. And securing a Las Vegas car transport service is one of the easiest ways to take your vehicle with you and make your relocation smoother.

Though the drive to Las Vegas can be exciting, shipping a car to Las Vegas is faster and often a hassle-free experience – if you do it right.

Why Auto Transport Is the Best Option

There are numerous ways to ship a vehicle to Las Vegas, especially when you’re not up to making the long drive yourself.

The first option would be to ask someone else to drive your car to Las Vegas. But not everyone has close friends willing to make the trip. Of course, you could always hire a professional driver. However, personalized services like this can cost a lot. On top of that, self-employed personal drivers won’t give you the assurances that a Las Vegas car transport service could.

Some people may opt to ship their cars using a train service. The train cargo service is a good way to ship large items over long distances. That said, train shipping isn’t exactly cheap, and it won’t guarantee that your car will be ready for pickup when you arrive at your desired destination.

In most cases, you or someone else has to be present when the train arrives at the final destination to unload your car. Also, train schedules offer very little wiggle room to load and unload your vehicle.

If you want a speedy delivery, shipping your car via an airplane cargo service could be your best bet. It’s safe, quick, and very reliable. Some car owners may even prefer it when shipping luxury vehicles or collectible autos.

Unfortunately, shipping via plane can cost thousands of dollars. It’s the most expensive shipping method, and it involves lots of paperwork. In addition, you’ll need someone to pick up the car once the airplane unloads it.

The most common way to ship a car is by hiring one of the many Las Vegas car transport companies. Road transportation is considerably cheaper than railway and air transportation, especially for large items like cars.

Furthermore, there are additional benefits. For example, a Las Vegas car shipping company can take care of everything from loading to unloading the vehicle at your desired destination. In addition, professional transportation companies use seasoned drivers. This means your car will be shipped via the best routes and in favorable traffic conditions.

Experienced drivers can adapt to unforeseen traffic situations and overcome road challenges while still delivering your car to you at the agreed-upon date.

Though providing superior, affordable service, the best Las Vegas auto transport company can be somewhat challenging to select. The following sections will discuss some of the things you need to know before deciding.

Understanding the Types of Car Shipping Available

In general, you have two main choices of car shipping: open and enclosed. Each one comes with advantages and disadvantages and caters to specific needs.

Las Vegas Car Transport Open Shipping

A Las Vegas car shipping company can handle open car shipping in many ways. In some cases, it will involve loading your car onto a medium-sized or large trailer. The vehicle will be held down in place with strong harnesses for the duration of the trip.

Open shipping is a good solution if you want the most affordable shipping option via land (aside from having a friend drive your vehicle free of charge). However, there are some considerations to be aware of.

For instance, open shipping exposes your vehicle to elements and road debris. Granted, road debris won’t be an issue if your car gets the top bunk. But if the driver runs into bad weather, your car won’t be shielded from the weather conditions.

This might not be the biggest issue for a personal car. But if you’re planning to ship a classic or luxury car, open shipping probably isn’t ideal. It’s also worth noting that open transport only works on functioning vehicles. Loading it onto a trailer can get complicated if your car can’t steer or brake.

Las Vegas Car Transport Enclosed Shipping

Enclosed shipping is the best all-around solution for auto transport. Las Vegas, NV, is in the middle of the desert. While the city looks fantastic, the drive to it can get a bit rough. Therefore, protecting your car during shipping is necessary.

With enclosed transport, you can rest assured that your car will be protected against rain, bugs, road debris, and minor accidents. After all, having your vehicle surrounded by an enclosed trailer eliminates the risk of direct impact with other cars.

That said, it’s slightly more expensive than open shipping, yet still cheaper than dealing with train cargo or airplane cargo fees and tight schedules.

Other Factors That Determine the Shipping Cost

Choosing a Las Vegas car transport method will require some price checking on your part. The transportation method itself will account for the bulk of the cost. But other factors may influence the final price.

For example, the condition of your vehicle can play a significant role. Non-operational vehicles with steering and braking issues are a bit more expensive to ship. This is because shippers will have a harder time loading, securing, and unloading your car.

The value of your vehicle also matters. Shipping a cheap car is affordable. Shipping luxury or classic vehicles is more expensive due to additional insurance costs.

Furthermore, the speed of delivery and distance will determine how much money you will have to pay. Longer distances are more expensive, and urgent delivery schedules often incur premiums.

Vehicle size is another important factor. Larger vehicles are heavier and harder to load and unload. Shipping a truck or family van to Las Vegas can be considerably pricier than shipping a standard vehicle. And depending on how big your car is, enclosed shipping might not always be an option.

You may even want to consider the drop-off location. You can expect to pay extra if the driver has to go out of their way to reach the final destination or the route is traffic-intense.

Do you need an urgent delivery? If that’s the case, you can expect to pay more. The same applies to shipping a car during poor weather conditions, regardless of whether you choose open or enclosed shipping.

You may also find that delivery to a specific location can have a different price depending on whether the desired delivery date is a couple of weeks or months away from the initial pick-up date. This usually happens for two reasons. First, there could be a driver shortage. Secondly, fuel prices can often change, especially given the current economic conditions. If gas prices go up, so will the transportation costs.

With that in mind, everyone’s needs are different. Your shipping experience can be completely customized, so you get the best price and transport conditions for your situation.

Picking a Las Vegas Car Shipping Company

There are four golden rules you should follow when analyzing Las Vegas car transport companies.

Pricing Comes Last

There’s nothing wrong with saving some money. But here’s the problem when you make it your top priority. Las Vegas auto transport services perform complicated tasks. The further away you are, the more demanding the job will be for the driver.

Drivers who are poorly compensated might not be motivated enough to take care of your vehicle’s condition during transport or be concerned with the promptness of delivery. Additionally, the cheapest services don’t usually have the best open or enclosed trailers.

As a general rule of thumb, the service will often reflect the price. And while it’s recommended to avoid paying a premium without getting substantial benefits, picking a Las Vegas auto transport company solely based on their prices is ill-advised.

Do Your Research

Shipping a car to Las Vegas can go smoothly or poorly. As much as you might blame the drivers for your experience, owners can also share part of the blame.

Most shipping companies set clear expectations before you make a deal. Thus, ensure that you’re completely confident in the service provider before trusting them with your vehicle.

Doing some research on a company is a must. You can check online reviews on Google and Yelp and even check a company’s profile on the Better Business Bureau website. Furthermore, spend a few extra minutes to see if any negative reviews have been resolved or if the complaints were made in bad faith. You never know when someone actually delivers great service, but their competitors or a few unhappy customers decided to ruin a business.

Experience Trumps Everything

You really only need two things for a satisfying shipping experience: seasoned drivers and well-maintained, high-quality rigs.

Look into a Las Vegas car shipping company’s driver roster. The more experienced the drivers, the higher the likelihood your car will arrive on time and undamaged. And the better their equipment, the more protection your car will have during transit.

Understand Your Needs and Who Can Meet Them

Your auto transport needs could be generic or niche. While there are many Las Vegas car transport companies, chances are not all of them will be a good fit.

Some transport service providers specialize in certain vehicles. Others only operate on specific routes, and some companies might not have the trailers to fit your vehicle safely.

Therefore, you must clarify exactly what you need from a shipping company:

• Pickup
• Distance
• Fast delivery
• A specific trailer size
• Availability
• Special protection methods
• Insurance for luxury cars
• Driveway delivery
• Loading and unloading non-working cars
• Multiple-vehicle transportation
• Budget-friendly quotes

These are just some of the scenario-specific factors you might want to consider before asking for quotes. Remember that no company will be able to give you a reliable cost estimate unless you provide ample information and list your demands.

How Quickly Can You Expect Your Car?

Many factors will determine the delivery speed. Obviously, experienced drivers with good trailers and excellent route-planning skills will make the trip faster than others.

However, bad weather can cause delays. Unexpected traffic jams and road closures can also add to the duration before delivery.

But in most cases, distance is the most influential factor. For instance, if you want to ship your car to Las Vegas from Maine, New York, or even Wyoming, you could be looking at an eight-day delivery.

If you’re closer to Nevada, the delivery may take anywhere between a few hours to three days. You can’t get a rough estimate until you discuss the details with a Las Vegas car shipping company.

Paperwork Required to Ship a Car

Unlike dealing with airlines or train companies, shipping a car with an auto transport company involves very little paperwork. In most cases, you’ll be issued a Bill of Lading. This document records and proves that you cosigned your vehicle to the carrier.

Of course, you’ll sign a contract with the carrier, but that’s about it.

Las Vegas Car Transport Done Easily by Land

If you pick the right carrier, shipping a car to Las Vegas won’t be a stressful experience. While the distance from Point A to Point B will matter a lot, there are other factors to consider before choosing the best Las Vegas auto transport company for your needs.

Make sure you understand what different carriers offer and clarify your expectations. Go through some reviews and ask about their field experience and the rigs they operate. There’s no reason to rush your decision and risk hiring a subpar carrier.

Keep in mind that your car’s condition and value can incur some premiums, as will the type of shipping. But while you might be tempted to go with open shipping to save a few bucks, a long drive to Las Vegas and going through the Nevada desert often calls for enclosed shipping.

At Ship Vehicles, we have enough experience to transport anything from everyday personal vehicles to vintage and luxury cars. We make a point of working closely with all customers to understand and meet their demands to ensure a stress-free experience and timely deliveries.